Mosheb a



I (NOMQdel.)

1v1. LSUTHERLAND.

' GRAIN BRIEF..

No. 294,287. Patentedfehfz', 1884.v

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UNITED STATES PATENT UFEICE.

Mos'EEE A. SUTHEELAND, oE NEW YORK, N. Y.

GRAIN-DR'IER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 294,287, dated February 26, 1884.

Application led March 4, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom, it 11m/y concern,.-

Be it known that I, MosHER A. SUTHEE-Y LAND, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Apparatus for Drying Grain, Malt, Brewers Grains, Src. of which the following is a specification. i v

This invention comprises a novel combination of parts, whereby is produced an efficient and easilyoperated apparatus for drying grain, malt, brewers grains, and other substances for the preservation of which the removal of large percentages of water is required.

Figure l is a vertical sectional view of an apparatus constructed according to my said Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, on a larger scale, of a portion of one of said belts.

A is a vertical trunk, of any desired horizontal area, and of a height sufficient to accommodate the operative parts hereinafter described, and situated therein. B are horizontal belts, each -of which runs over two drums, a, and each of which is provided with any suitable number of supporting-rolls, b', ar-

ranged to sustain the upper portions of the belts against the weight of the material placed thereon. These belts have severally the revolving motion indicated by the several `arrows in the drawings-that is to say, each belt runs in a direction opposite to that of the others immediately adjacent theretoand the belts are staggered-thatis'to say, that (with the exception hereinafter noted) one end of each belt is placed over the end portion of the belt next below the same, so that the material passed off from the belt above will fall upon the belt below, in order that the material may pass from one to the other of the said belts throughout the series thereof. Interposed between two of the belts is a hopper, C, below which is a crushing or disintegrating cylinder,

D, and concave E, it being preferred that the cylinder and concave be provided with intermeshing teeth, and that the hopper C be arranged to receive the material from the belt. above, while the cylinder and concave are so placed as to deliver the material to the belt below.

' Placed in suitable relation with the trunk A, is' the outlet-flue F of a furnace, H', of any suitable construction, which said iiue communicates with the inlet of a fan-blower, G,

through the center side openings, c, the outk let of the said fan-blower communicating with the lower end of the trunk A. The iiue F may be provided with an opening, f, through which the outer atmosphere may pass. The

operation of the fan-blow`er G throws the hot 6o gaseous products of combustion from the fine E into the lower part of the trunk A, from which the said Ahot gaseous products of com` bustion rise by their own buoyancy and draft through the said trunk A to dry the material 6 5 as the same passes'upon the belts B and from one to another of the said belts. The object of :admitting atmospheric air through the opening f into the flue F, and thence directly into the trunk A, is to reduce the temperature of 7o dried, raises the temperature `thereof simul- 8o taneously with the action thereon of,the hot gaseous products of combustion passing up through the perforations or interstices ofthe perforated sheet `metal or wire-cloth, as the case may be, and thereby insures a much more S 5 rapid and effective drying action than would, be possible with endless belts of non-metallic material, and'void of perforations or openings through which the hot products of combustion can pass into intimate contact with the v9o material to be dried.

The grain, malt, brewers7 grains, or other material or substance to bedried, is poured jinto a hopper, H, above the trunk A, and

The sheet metal or wireby an endless apron, I, is carried to and deposited in a chute, J, coming from which it iiows or passes to theY uppermost of the belts B. The rotation of this belt deposits the said substance or material upon the belt below,

which latter deposits the material in the hop roo per C, from which it passes between the cylinder D and concave E, which disintegrates and powders any lumps which may have formed in the material during or before the previous stages of the operation. rlhis is effected by providing the cylinder with teeth or beaters to receive the material from the hopper C, and break up any lumps and perfectly' loosen it,'carrying it against the concave E and delivering it upon the endless belt. For this purpose the hopper is arranged to receive the material from the end ot' the belt above moving toward the hopper, which is placed against the inner wall of the trunk, while the concave delivers the material. upon a belt below moving from the concave.

It will also bcunderstood that, in lieu of the hopper C, the back oi" the concave may be elongated, to form, in conjunction with the opposite surface of the disintegrating-cylinder D, la suitable directing` device to guide the grains or material between the said cylinder and concave. From the cylinder D and concave E the pulverulcnt material passes from one to another of the belts B until it reaches the bottom of the trunk A, where, falling upon the inclined iioor K, it descends to the voutlet-opening L.

It is of course' to be understood that rotary motion is to be given to the belts B, and also to the fan-blower G, by suitable belts and pulleys, or other appropriate means. \Vhere the trunk A is of suiheient height and appropriate proportions,the natural ascensive force or draft of the hot gaseous products of combustion will be suflicicnt to carry the same upward in'reqnisite volume and degree through the said trunk A; but under other conditions, when this ascensive force is found to be insufficient, the use of the fan-blower Gis requisitc, or, at least, desirable, in order to give sufficient rapidity of movement to the ascending hot gaseous products of combustion.

It is to be understood that the fan or blower is so arranged as to draw the hot gaseous products of combustion from the rear portion of the furnace.

It is ilnportant in my process of treating grain, malt, or brewers grains to dry and preserve it, that the heat be derived direct from the furnace in the dry gaseous products of combustion to obtain the necessary economy in the fuel.

It is also important that in using the dry products of combustion 4the top of the dryingtruuk should be open, to give a free outlet to the products of combustion and a good draft. it being unnecessary in my process to retard the heat, but, on the contrary, to give a continuous and direct ascent to the products of combustion and cause them to pass directly through the substance, moving in thin layers across the ascending current of hot gases.

The important advantage of this process is that I am enabled to use the waste products of combustion direct from any furnace, and

t0 send such products of combustion in a eolumn .through the substance w1thout d1Verting its direct ascent, as contradistinguished from a process in which the substance is moved in layers in one direction, and air heated by pipes or other artificial means, is moved over-it in a circuitous course. In my process of utilizing the waste products of combustion I effect at least seventy-five per cent. in saving in the cost of fuel, which is a matter of the last importance in the treatment of brewers grains, which are, to a great extent, a waste product of the brewery, and which is made a valuable feed by my cheap process. By the means described the superfluous moisture may be rapidly, cheaply, and conarranged to inject the hot gaseous products of combustion into the bottom ofsaid trunk, substantally as described, for the purpose specilied.

2. An organized apparatus for drying grain, malt, brewers grains, &c., composed of the following element-s, viz: a flue or vertical chamber open at the top; connected with a 4suitable furnace, to receive the hot gaseous products of combustion therefrom, a series of perforated endless aprons arranged within said flue or chamber to transmit the material to be dried from one tothe other of said aprons successively from above downward, and subjected to the action of the gaseous products of combustion, a blower arranged to inject the hot gaseous products of combustion into said flue or chamber, and devices, substantially as described, for separating or disintegrating the material while subjected to the action of said products of combustion, all substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. An organized apparatus for drying grain, brewers grains, &c., composed ofthe following elements, viz: a flue or vertical chainber open at the top, connected with a suitable furnace to receive the hot gaseous products of combustion therefrom, a series of perforated endless aprons arranged within said flue or chamber to transmit the material to be dried from one to the other of said aprons successively from above downward, and subjected to the action of the gaseous products of combustion, and a blower arranged to inject hot gaseous products of combustion into said IOO IIO

294,287 A v s ilue or chamber,` a valve and inlet-passage, so placed as to control the admission of air'to the flue, and devices, substantially as described,

for separating or disintegrating .the material 5 While subjected tothe action of said products of combustion, allsubstantially as and for the.

purpose herein set forth.

. 4. The combination, in apparatus for dry- Io the top, a furnace connected with it at the bottom to deliver the gaseous products of combustion intol said iiue or trunk, a series of ending grain7 of a ue or vertical trunk open at` less foraminatcd aprons arranged Within and across said iiue to transmit the material to be dried and to allow the hot products of combustion to pass directly through the moving- 

